With S.C. Jamir's resignation, Hokishe Sema faces toughest test in his political career

With S.C. Jamir's resignation, Hokishe Sema faces toughest test in his political career

With Jamir's resignation, Sema is faced with the toughest test of his career.

advertisement

SHEKHAR GUPTA

November 30, 1986

ISSUE DATE: November 30, 1986

UPDATED: February 19, 2014 16:54 IST

Finally, it was a contest between two men blessed with charmed lives: S. Chubatoshi Jamir, who has survived many a political storm, and Hokishe Sema, who was once one among the three people who emerged alive from a guerilla ambush on a group of 17. But this time, Jamir's phenomenal luck deserted him as he made his bow after exactly four years in power, leaving the chief ministership of Nagaland last fortnight to Sema, one of the last surviving venerables of the Phizo era.

With corruption charges mounting against Jamir, his fate bad been sealed some time ago. In March this year, eight members of his 22-strong cabinet resigned in protest against the police firing on a student rally in Kohima and camped in New Delhi for several days seeking his ouster (INDIA TODAY, April 15). This was followed by a spate of allegations of links with the pro-Beijing underground National Socialist Council of Nagaland. But Jamir survived because of support in Delhi.

That support disappeared with the eclipse of Arun Nehru. Jamir was told by the high command that since Nagaland was scheduled to have assembly elections next year, the party needed to spruce up its image. It took a bit of "persuasion" but finally Jamir resigned "to strengthen the party".

With Jamir's resignation, Sema is faced with the toughest test of his career.

That happened in Delhi. But as soon as the scene shifted to Kohima, it became a different story. Jamir and his supporters fought for survival. When that failed, they tried to keep Sema out. A group of 22 out of the party 's 40-member group in the state Assembly led by chief whip Imlong sent a cable to the prime minister demanding the removal, within 24 hours, of Sema who "had been imposed on us". Three of the new ministers, detained by the Jamir group, could not make it to the swearing-in ceremony.

Party high-ups admit that they had under-estimated Jamir. "He certainly had more MLA's with him than we had reckoned," said a senior party leader. Thus, instead of ordering a CBI inquiry against Jamir, as originally planned, the party may now offer him an ambassador's post in an attempt to get him off Sema's back.

Sema has problems enough. The pro-underground elements have recently shown signs of revival. Students and parochial elements among the Nagas feel that they should now press the Centre for the kind of demands it has conceded to Laldenga. These include the "unification" of the adjoining Naga areas with Nagaland. The reference is to the nine reserve forests along the border with Assam over which the Assam and Nagaland police forces have repeatedly clashed. "The Centre forgets that insurgency is still alive in Nagaland," points out a young Congress(I) legislator.

Sema: survivor

Then again, Sema does not have too much time to get the party house in order. He is not even a member of the state Assembly, so a by-election is inevitable. That will be followed by the state Assembly election in October next year. But Sema is a veteran of many crises. "My strength is the goodwill of the Naga people." he says, underlining the fact that he has even been promised support by the Naga Students Federation and the Naga National Democratic party, the only opposition in the state. He will need all of it in ample measure if he is to survive the stiffest test of his 30-year political career.

Get real-time alerts and all the news on your phone with the all-new India Today app. Download from